• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.35-43
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• 2017

The three-dimensional integrated circuit (3D-IC) is a general trend for the miniaturized and high-performance electronic devices. The through-silicon-via (TSV) is the advanced interconnection method to achieve 3D integration, which uses vertical metal via through silicon substrate. However, the TSV based 3D-IC undergoes severe thermo-mechanical stress due to the CTE (coefficient of thermal expansion) mismatch between via and silicon. The thermo-mechanical stress induces mechanical failure on silicon and silicon-via interface, which reduces the device reliability. In this paper, the thermo-mechanical reliability of TSV based 3D-IC is reviewed in terms of mechanical fracture, heat conduction, and material characteristic. Furthermore, the state of the art via-level and package-level design techniques are introduced to improve the reliability of TSV based 3D-IC.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea SD
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.112-117
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• 2008

Vertical interconnection scheme using novel silicon-through-via for 3D MEMS devices or stacked package is proposed and fabricated to demonstrate its feasibility. The suggested silicon-through-via replaces electroplated copper, which is used as an interconnecting material in conventional through-via, with doped silicon. Adoption of doped silicon instead of metal eliminates thermal-mismatch-induced stress, which can make troubles in high temperature MEMS processes, such as wafer bonding and LP-CVD(low pressure chemical vapor deposition). Two silicon layers of $30{\mu}m$ thickness are stacked on the substrate. The through-via arrays with spacing $40{\mu}m$ and $50{\mu}m$ are fabricated successfully. Electrical characteristics of the through-via are measured and analyzed. The measured resistance of the silicon-through-via is $169.9\Omega$.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2009

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.23-28
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• 2023

This paper demonstrates a novel NAND flash memory structure and annealing configuration including through-silicon via (TSV) inside the silicon substrate to improve annealing efficiency using an electro-thermal annealing (ETA) technique. Compared with the conventional ETA which utilizes WL-to-WL current flow, the proposed annealing method has a higher annealing temperature as well as more uniform heat distribution, because of thermal isolation on the silicon substrate. In addition, it was found that the annealing temperature is related to the electrical and thermal conductivity of the TSV materials. As a result, it is possible to improve the reliability of NAND flash memory. All the results are discussed based on 3-dimensional (3-D) simulations with the aid of the COMSOL simulator.

• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.312-316
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• 2015

Through silicon via (TSV) technology holds the promise of chip-to-chip or chip-to-package interconnections for higher performance with reduced signal delay and power consumption. It includes high aspect ratio silicon etching, insulation liner deposition, and seamless metal filling. The desired etch profile should be straightforward, but high aspect ratio silicon etching is still a challenge. In this paper, we investigate the use of etch hard mask for finer TSVs etching to have clear definition of etched via pattern. Conventionally employed photoresist methods were initially evaluated as reference processes, and oxide and metal hard mask were investigated. We admit that pure metal mask is rarely employed in industry, but the etch result of metal mask support why hard mask are more realistic for finer TSV etching than conventional photoresist and oxide mask.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Surface Engineering Conference
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• 2008.11a
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• pp.21-22
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• 2008

$SF_6/O_2$ 플라즈마 에칭을 통한 반도체 칩의 3차원 집적에 응용되는 through-silicon-via (TSV) 구조형성 연구를 수행하였다. Si via 형상은 $SF_6$, $O_2$의 가스 비율과 에칭이 되는 Silicon 기판의 온도에 의존함을 알수 있었다. 또한 Si via 형상에서 최소의 언더컷 (undercut) 과 측벽에칭 (local bowing) 은 black Si이 나타나는 공정조건에서 나타남을 확인하였다. 더 나아가 저온을 이용한 via 형성시 via 측벽에 형성되는 passivation layer와 mask의 성질이 저온으로 인해 high-aspect-ratio를 갖는 via를 형성할 수 있음을 알 수 있었다.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Telematics and Electronics
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.88-97
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• 1989

This paper proposes an efficient switch-box router which consists of two parts ; greedy poly-jog router and via minimizer. The greedy switch-box router of Luk, routes not only metal wires at horizontal tracks and poly-silicon wires at vertical tracks but also poly-siliocon wires ar horizontal tracks if necessary. The via minimizer reduces the number of vias and the wire length by fipping of each corner, parallel moving of wire segment, transformation metal into poly-silicon, and transformation poly-silicon into metal. The result is generated through the column-wise scan across the routing region. The expected time complexity is O(M(Nnet)). Where M, N, and Nnet are respectively the number of columns, rows, and nets in the routing region.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Surface Engineering Conference
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• 2009.10a
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• pp.171-172
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• 2009

TSV(through via silicon)를 이용한 Via의 Cu 충전에서 Seed 층의 역할은 전류의 흐름을 가능하게 하는 중요한 역할을 하고 있다. Via에 각각 Ti/Au, Ti/Cu를 증착한 후 Ti/Cu가 Ti/Au를 대체 할 수 있는지를 알아보기 위해 먼저 실리콘 웨이퍼에 via를 형성하고, 형성된 via에 기능성 박막층으로 절연층(SiO2) 및 시드층을 형성하였다. 전해도금을 이용하여 Cu를 충전한 결과 Ti/Au 및 Ti/Cu를 증착한 두 시편 모두 via와 seed층 접합면에 박리 등의 결함이 없었고, via 내부 또한 void나 seam 등이 관찰되지 않고 우수하게 충전된 것을 확인할 수 있었다.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.65-74
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• 2013

The through-silicon via (TSV) technology is essential for 3-dimensional integrated packaging. TSV technology, however, is still facing several reliability issues including interfacial delamination, crack generation and Cu protrusion. These reliability issues are attributed to themo-mechanical stress mainly caused by a large CTE mismatch between Cu via and surrounding Si. In this study, the thermo-mechanical reliability of copper TSV technology is investigated using numerical analysis. Finite element analysis (FEA) was conducted to analyze three dimensional distribution of the thermal stress and strain near the TSV and the silicon wafer. Several parametric studies were conducted, including the effect of via diameter, via-to-via spacing, and via density on TSV stress. In addition, effects of annealing temperature and via size on Cu protrusion were analyzed. To improve the reliability of the Cu TSV, small diameter via and less via density with proper via-to-via spacing were desirable. To reduce Cu protrusion, smaller via and lower fabrication temperature were recommended. These simulation results will help to understand the thermo-mechanical reliability issues, and provide the design guideline of TSV structure.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2010.05a
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• pp.659-660
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• 2010